Mini Cooper Tires and Alignment
The tires on your Mini Cooper do more than just rotate to get you from once place to another. They have a massively important role in the performance and handling of the vehicle. Performance rated Mini tires will help you accelerate solidly, take corners stably, and brake smoothly.
A star embedded into the sidewalls of the tire designates that it matches Mini’s performance standards. Depending on the type of tire you have, you’ll find that they’re suitable for all weather conditions, hug the road with ease, and in some cases allow you to drive a set distance on a flat.
Mini Cooper Tire Problems
There’s no way to understate the importance of quality tires on a Mini Cooper. But when they’re exposed to harsh conditions like bad road surfaces or extreme weather, it’s possible that they could get damaged. This can be exacerbated by choosing poor quality tires; so do not skimp when choosing.
Signs of bad tires include:
- Vibration: when the steel and polyester bands inside the tire separate, the car will vibrate and feel unbalance
- Loss of traction: if the tire tread has worn down so much than there are no grooves, the car will have no traction on wet surfaces
- Noise: thumping can mean a flat tire and humming can mean reduced tread
- Wobbling: the car and steering wheel can wobble, caused by internal belt separation
Be sure to check the tread on your tires regularly. One trick is to use a penny. Place the penny, with Abe Lincoln’s head facing you, and upside down. Stick the penny in the tread. If Abe’s hair disappears behind the tread, you are ok. If you can see all of Abe’s hair, then it’s time to get new tires.
Mini Cooper Alignment
The tires on your Mini Cooper need to be properly aligned, which means adjusting the front and back suspension parts to make the steering direction perfectly straight. Poor alignment will decrease the life and performance of the tires. This is because misaligned tires will be at an angle to the road surface, causing fast and uneven wear. Not only that, but it’s incredibly dangerous as your car could swerve or lose contact with the road surface.
Also, if your car is not aligned properly then some tire warranties will not be honoured. If you’re getting new tires on warranty then you need to make sure that your current ones are aligned properly before doing so.
Tire Replacement and Alignment
Your tires will be checked during the Inspection and that is recommended by Mini. At German Car Depot we can replace and align your tires to ensure they match specification and that you’re driving safely. We are staffed by professional mechanics that can give you great service, but are able to offer you great price savings when compared to a dealership on the cost to repair.